Bellin Health offers free skin cancer screening Aug. 17

08/04/2009

The screenings are part of Bellin’s continued efforts to help stave off the 1,260 cases of melanoma skin cancer and other types reported in Wisconsin last year. Screenings will take place at Bellin Health Family Medical Center-Algoma, 1510 Fremont St., Algoma.

An appointment is required to receive a free screening, which lasts about 10 minutes. Available times are 3:30-5:30 p.m.

Lisa Olson, a physician’s assistant, will be the attending doctor. She will evaluate questionable moles or skin spots patients are concerned about and make suggestions for their treatment or potential removal.

The National Cancer Institute estimates new cases of skin (nonmelanoma) cancer in the United States in 2009 will total more than 1 million.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop skin cancer.

Risk factors vary for different types of skin cancer, but some general risk factors are having:

· A lighter natural skin color
· Family history of skin cancer
· A personal history of skin cancer
· Exposure to the sun through work and play
· A history of sunburns early in life
· Skin that burns, freckles, reddens easily or becomes painful in the sun
· Blue or green eyes
· Blond or red hair
· Certain types and a large number of moles

Appointments for the one-on-one skin cancer screening are required. Please call (920) 445-7373 or (888) 758-7373 for more information.